Liquid actuated figure



April 14, 1953 P. L. GERTZ LIQUID ACTUATED FIGURE Filed March 50, 1951 INVENTOR- Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUID ACTUATED FIGURE 7 Philip L. Gertz, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 30, 1951, Serial No. 218,435

Claims.

The present invention relates to a liquid actuated figure and more particularly to a figure which is actuated by a continuous fiow of water or the like.

The object of the present invention is to afford amusement and entertainment particularly for children.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a body having a vertical passage extending therethrough and carrying laterally extending arms which move in vertically disposed arcuate paths, each such arm havin a chamber therein which increases in size as it recedes from the body and which communicates with the passage through a port in the body which port is open when its respective arm is in its upward position but closes when the arm moves down so as to preclude the entrance of liquid into the chamber while the arm remains in its lowered position.

Other features of the present invention include a row of spaced liquid discharge openings in the end of each arm remote from the body which openings communicate with the chamber in its respective arm so that when the arm is lowered, the liquid contained in the chamber thereof will be discharged therefrom in the form of jets which simulate the fingers of a hand.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of one embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the body and head of the figure showing the normal upward position of an arm, and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the arm lowered under the weight of liquid contained therein.

Referring to the drawing in detail the figure designated generally In represents a grotesque human body comprising a hollow body portion 12 carrying at its upper end a tubular extension l4 representing a neck surmounted by a hollow bulbous portion [6 representing the head. A tubular overflow nipple l8 extends upwardly from the head to take care of any over filling oi the device with liquid. A tubular stem 20 projects downwardly from the body portion [2 and the whole structure thus far described intercommunicates to form a vertical passage 22 into the lower end of which liquid is fed in any suitable manner as by a flexible pipe 24 which may be connected to a suitable source of water pressure such as a faucet.

The entire figure I0 is preferably formed of a 2 flexible resilient material, such as rubber, and the body I2 is provided on opposite sides with vertically spaced ports 26. An arm 28 is carried by the body adjacent each port 26 and each such arm is hollow to form a chamber 30 which increases in size as it recedes from the body. The chamber 30 of each arm 28 communicates, when the arm is in upward position with the passage 22 through the adjacent port 26, and when the arm is lowered as illustrated in Figure 3, the port 26 is closed so as to preclude the flow of liquid from the passage 22 into the chamber 30. Formed in the end 32 of each arm 28 remote from the body I2 is a row of spaced liquid discharge openings 34 through which liquid contained in the chamber 30 is discharged when the arm 28 is lowered as shown in Figure 3. In the preferred form of the invention there are five liquid discharge openings in each row of openings in each arm 28 so that the liquid discharged from a chamber 30 will fiow outwardly in the form of five jets thus to simulate the fingers of a hand.

The device may be supported in any desired manner such as securing to the tubular stem 20 a base plate 36 of any suitable material which carries at its perimeter a float 38 by which the figure l0 may be supported in upright position on the surface of a pool or other body of water 40. Obviously other means of support or other types of body may be employed provided the passage 22 remains vertical.

In use the tubular stem 20 is coupled to any suitable source of liquid supply so that liquid will rise in the passage 22 past the ports 26. As the liquid rises above the ports 26 it enters the chambers 30 of the respective arms 28. Rising in the chambers 30. the weight of the liquid becomes great enough to cause arms 28 to drop against the effort of the resilient material from which the body I2 is made. By thus dropping through their respective vertical arcuate paths as suggested by the dottedlines in Figure 1, the ports 26 opening into their respective chambers will close as illustrated in Figure 3 so as to cut off further flow of liquid from the passage into the chambers 30. Simultaneously with the closing of a port 26 by the dropping of an arm 28 into the position shown in Figure 3, the liquid contained in the chamber 30 will fiow through the discharge openings 34 in the form of five jets, thus simulating the five fingers of a hand. With the emptying of a chamber 30, its respective arm 28 will return to elevated position as shown in Figure 2, thus opening its respective port 26 and establishing communication between the passage and its res ective chamber 30 for a repeat operation. The cycles of operation of the various arms 28 will be continuous so long as liquid is fed into the passage 22.

What is claimed is:

1. In a liquid actuated figure a body having a vertical passage extending therethrough, a laterally extending arm carried by the body for movement in a vertically disposed arcuate path, said arm. normally extending upwardly and outwardly relative to the body and having a chamber therein which communicates with the passage and increases in size as it recedes from the body,

said arm having a liquid discharge opening atjtss.

outer extremity whereby liquid filling the chamber will move the arm downwardly and the discharge opening into a positiom toemptst thei chamber the chamber being emptied, the arm will rise again to its normal position, and means to introduce liquid into the=passage.

2. Irra liquid actuated-figure a: body of flexible material having. a vertical-- passage extending therethrough; a laterally extending arm cf 'fiexiblematerial carriedby the body for movement in. a verticallydisposed arcuate path from anupwardly: and: outwardly extending position. to. a downward-1y and outwardly extending position, said arm normally: extending upwardlyandaoutwardlyfromnthe body and: having a chamber therein which increases. in size as it; recedes. from the. body; said chamber communicating at: it's smallerendwith thepassage when-the: arm is. in its: upwardnposition, saidi arm having. a. liquid discharge opening extending through the end thereof: remote from:..the. body and: communicate ing with the chamber whereby liquid. entering the. chamber andmoving: the arm downwardly will Denise-named through the; discharge; open.- ing allowing the arm to return toits: normals. p0.- -sitiom andimeans. to introduce. liquid into the passage.

311p; aliquid; actuated. figure a body t flexiblee-resi'lient, material having a, verticalv passage extendingrtherethrough and a. laterally extend;- ing: pant; extending: therethroughand comnmnieating: with; the passage;.-an arm; carriect by the Indy: for: movement :in a vertically disposed. arcuzate path from a. normal upwardly: and outwardly extending positiontm a downwardly and out.- wardlyy extending; position sa-icharnrhaving a chamber therein which increaseszin size as it nec desifronr the body and which communicates at; 11385511139116! end: with the.:. nort,..a-nd; saidarm. having aliquid: dischargeopening: at. the. end fihfiitemfilfinmte from: the body which discharge opening communicates with the chamber whereby liquid entering the chamber through the port while the arm is elevated will move said arm downwardly and move the discharge opening into liquid discharging position, the liquid being discharged, the arm will again rise to its normal position.

4. In a liquid actuated figure a body having a vertical passage extending therethrough, a laterally extending arm carriedby-theibodyxfqr movement in a vertically disposed arcuate path, said arm normally extending upwardly and outwardly relative to the body and having a chamber therein,..which, communicates with the passage and increases in size as it recedes from the body, said arm having 'a row of spaced liquid discharge openings, at.v the end thereof remote from the body, said liquid discharge openings communi- Qatingwith the chamber whereby when the arm moves downwardly the liquid within the chambar will be. discharged therefrom; in..a..row of spacedjets simulating thefingersof a. hand. the discharge of: said. liquid. allowing. the. arm to, re..- turn to said normal position, and meanstol2 in,- troduceliquid into the, passage.

5. 111a. liquid actuated; figure a, body. of flex..- ible resilient material having a vertical passage extending therethrough and a laterallyextendins. port. extending. therethrough and; communicating, withv the passage, an. arm. carried by the body. for. movement ina. vertically disposed, arouatev pathfromv anormal upwardly and outwardly extending position to, adownwardly and; outwardly. extending. positiom, said. arm, having av chamber. therein. which ncreases. in. size, as. it recedes. from the. body and which. communicates at its. smaller, end. with the, port, said arm. haying. a row. of. spaced, liquid, discharge. openings at the, end thereof remote from, the body, and saidliquid'. discharge, openings, communicating with the chamber whereby when. the arm. moves downwardly under, the weightofthe ligui'dtherei the liquid in the, chamber will be discha tgfid therefrom in the form of; jets simulating the fin ers Ofiahand, and means to introduce liquid into. the passage,

PHIBIP l3.

References Git'edin the file of this patent- UNITED STATES PATENTsl Number Name.. Date;

547,318 Baily i O.ct..1,,ls895 1,51 .8;144; Huggins .ew Dec; 9,, I924 1,9l:8;&7.41 Shannaharr..- W July: 1:8; 1933 

